Last month I told you about the first podcast featuring the history of the shop. Well, I’m pleased to say that we have now reached over 100 ‘views’, or whatever you call it when someone listens to something rather than watching. If you haven’t listened yet, where have you been? And don’t forget to listen out for the deliberate mistake!
Well, this month is all about ‘Looking Forward’ and ‘Looking Back’. I thought of breaking with tradition and starting with the ‘Looking Forward’, just to surprise you all, but decided to approach the subject in the conventional manner to avoid confusion.
So, ‘Looking Back’ first. The Sheep Fair was a great success. Sian’s attractive ‘A’ board, together with our QSVS (Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service) banner, drew visitors to our stall, and the hot meat and vegan sausage rolls sold like, er, hot sausage rolls! The greetings cards and coffee machine were likewise in great demand. A big thank you to all the volunteers who stepped up and ensured that both the shop and the stall were manned at all times – no mean feat! It was so good, in fact, that we have even started planning for next year!
And now ‘Looking Forward’. One young lady is very definitely spreading her wings. Ella has worked in the shop for the last three years on a Saturday afternoon. She has now decided to embark on a flight attendant course with Wizz Air. So she’ll be flying high soon! Anyway, I’m sure working in the shop will have given her a flying start to her career. One of her jobs was to clean the chandelier, which elicited lots of comments from customers. Remember the ‘Only Fools and Horses’ chandelier sketch? We wish you all the best for the future, Ella, but we will miss you.
Later this month we will celebrate Hallowe’en. We’ll be stocking bags of spooky sweets and all sorts of goodies, if you’re thinking of holding a party.
And so to Christmas. I’ve put it off for as long as possible. It might be future tense to you, but Angus and Helen, our manager and deputy, had to place their orders during the heatwaves in July and August! The stock will start arriving soon, but we refuse to be like some shops that display Christmas stock as the children go back to school in September.
Talking of Christmas, you may be starting to think about what to give loved ones. If you are, you could consider buying a share in the shop. The price is currently prohibitively expensive for many, but I’m giving you advance notice that we are actively exploring ways to make them affordable for everyone. Watch this space! The shop increases footfall to Findon, and in some ways is the hub of the village, showcasing Findon’s friendly, welcoming character. Which will help maintain our village’s popularity, and increase house prices. Buying a share is, therefore, actually a sound financial investment!
Jean Burden